LES ABEND
Are airlines putting the safest & most prepared captains on their airplanes? Sure, airline flight training is intensely focused, but how can experience be taught?
Experience defines the effective leadership skills of good captains. With pilot hiring occurring at a rapid pace, limited time is available for copilots to be mentored by their captains. Now, more than ever, good leadership skills need to start at the initial flight training level, before aspiring airline pilots are employed.
Through anecdotal stories and common sense concepts, future airline pilots will gain an understanding of what it takes to become a great captain.
ABOUT LES
After four decades in professional aviation, Les has become concerned that the rapid hiring of airline pilots will reduce some of the experience needed to become a safe and effective captain. He is taking to the stage with the passionate goal of supplementing that experience using real life stories to introduce leadership concepts so all can benefit. His presentation, “The Four Most Important Leadership Skills of Great Captains,” will provide a flight plan for aspiring airline pilots.
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Les is a sought-after speaker, writer, and media personality. He is a retired American Airlines B-777 captain and former check airman. He is also a 23-year contributing editor to Flying Magazine, an occasional contributor to CNN OpEd, a periodic on-air aviation analyst to MSNBC, CNBC, NBC, CNN, and other media outlets. Les is the author of the aviation-themed “Paper Wings,” a mystery, suspense, whodunnit thriller.
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Les has inspired and motivated aspiring airline pilots at universities and flight schools, assisting in making our skies safer.
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If you are in search of someone who can introduce safe and effective leadership skills beyond the typical flight school syllabus, Les is your captain.
Les's Signature Talk
The four most important leadership skills of great airline captains
New airline captains don’t magically appear in the left seat of a cockpit overnight. Yes, they are involved with rigorous flight training prior to their upgrade, but what about leadership skills? Leadership skills are a function of experience.
But what if experience is limited because of the rapid pace of airline hiring? Through anecdotal stories, aspiring airline pilots will get an introduction to the building blocks of safe and effective leadership before stepping foot into an airline cockpit.
Les’s Testimonials
“Les has been a longtime contributor to RMWorld Travel with Robert & Mary Carey and Rudy Maxa. We appreciate his insights and his ability to articulate on almost anything involved with the airline industry. He is always responsive to our requests for on-air interviews. We have a relaxed and pleasant working relationship."
